Future U opens doors to new possibilities for young people

Future U, genU's first Youth Open Day, was created to do exactly that, open doors to young people. Held in Geelong as part of Victoria's Youth Fest, the free event brought together young people aged 15 to 24, along with their families, carers and support networks, to explore the many opportunities available through genU. 

Bringing together expertise from employment, training, disability, wellbeing, participation and community services, Future U gave attendees the chance to discover pathways that matched their interests, goals and ambitions, all in one place. 

Throughout the day, young people immersed themselves in a range of hands-on activities, including barista workshops, cupcake decorating, gaming experiences, creative sessions and interactive challenges. While the activities created a fun and welcoming atmosphere, they also sparked meaningful conversations about career aspirations, training opportunities, employment pathways and the real-life skills needed to take the next step.

Amelia, Employment Inclusion Lead at MatchWorks, said the event was designed to help young people explore possibilities in a way that felt engaging, supportive and accessible. 

"Young people come to us for all kinds of support, whether it's employment, training, community participation or finding connections. Often they're still discovering who they are and what they want their future to look like." 

"By bringing different parts of genU together in one place, we can help them explore opportunities, build confidence and discover pathways they may not have considered before." 

One young man attending the first Future U event in Geelong was Finn, who not only appreciated the many stalls offering entertainment, but also the insightful chats he has had with some of the representatives of the many genU services. 

"It's been really fun, but it's also helped me learn more about different pathways for the future. You get to meet people, try new things and find out about opportunities you might not have known existed." 

"I'd definitely recommend it to other young people because you can do it together with friends, have fun and learn something at the same time."

The event highlighted the unique value of bringing together services from across genU in one place. Most importantly, Future U showed young people that they don't need to have everything figured out right now. With the right support, experiences and connections, there are many pathways available and plenty of possibilities ahead.

View our Future U Brochure

The success of the inaugural event was made possible by the collaboration of teams from across genU and the enthusiasm of the young people who embraced new experiences, made new connections and took the opportunity to explore what their future could hold. 

The Future U team would also like to thank the team at Eastern Hub for providing a great venue with excellent catering that was also provided by the genU Business for Good initiative.